Nintendo of America announced today that the Wii's News Channel is set to make its debut tomorrow (January 27); however, Internet reports—and the persistent flashing blue slot light on this editor's Wii—seem to indicate that the update is actually available right now.

The Wii News Channel is being launched with the help of the Associated Press, whose international resources will be utilized to offer Wii owners "key stories in multiple categories from across the country and around the world."

The News Channel is actually the third major Wii update in recent months, following the launch of the Forecast Channel on December 19 of last year and the Internet Channel/Opera Browser just a few days later. Similar to the Forecast Channel, the News Channel allows Wii owners to spin a virtual globe and then point and click at a location with the Wii Remote. The news featured will come in the usual variety of categories, including Business, Sports, Arts/Entertainment, Technology and Science/Health. The service uses icons to indicate which stories have already been read, which are text-only and which feature news photos.

According to Nintendo, "at any given time, dozens of stories might be available for each category." Making use of the WiiConnect24 ("always on") functionality, the Wii will automatically and consistently update the News section. Additionally, if users are in the aforementioned global view, the stories can be organized by region instead of category.

"What Wii has done for video gaming, we hope it will also accomplish for news," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "Just by pointing at your TV screen, you become your own interactive editor, instantly accessing the latest headline stories, whether they originate in Kansas City or Kyoto."

"The Associated Press is always looking for innovative ways to expand its audience for news and information," added Jane Seagrave, vice president and director of AP's digital division. "The Wii News Channel extends our global reach even further, on yet another platform, offering our news to people who otherwise might not see it."